Quick Note

The health you see in the statistic page is without the passive included. With Vladimir's specific items I gave, he should have about 4,000 health and 500 AP.
Also note these games:See the power of Vladimir?
*Excuse me for the other games, I tried them out on the free rotation and I discovered I suck with them (besides Lee Sin, I bought him)

Champion Abilities

Crimson Pact
"Every 40 points of bonus health gives Vladimir 1 ability power and every 1 point of ability power gives Vladimir 1.8 bonus health. This bonuses do not stack with themselves."

My friend, this is what gives Vladimir his pretty awesome durability and survivability. Stacking PURE AP doesn't look so bad now, right? You can get over 400 AP and 3000 HP pretty easily late-game, even without runes or complete masteries.

*Interesting note:
While specifically noted that Crimson Pact will not stack with itself, any ability power gained through Crimson Pact will be affected by Rabadon's Deathcap. The ability power added in this way will be converted into health through Crimson Pact. You need to gain approximately 74.07 bonus ability power to be granted 1 additional ability power this way. Meaning that you need a bonus of about 74.07 from Rabadon's Deathcap's passive to get 1 ability power. Rushing 2 Blasting Wands will grant you 24 ability power this way, so you basically need to rush 6 Blasting Wands (240 AP) in order to get a single AP from Rabadon's Deathcap's Passive in conjuction with Crimson Pact.

Vladimir's bread and butter (where's the peanut butter n' jelly?!), for a few particular, obvious reasons.
This spell does not only damages pretty high mid to late-game, but it also heals pretty nicely if you manage to get it through a lot of AP, Spell Vamp or a Spirit Visage.

Okay, so basically this is your peanut butter n' jelly (escape-chase mechanic other than Summoner Spells), 2nd health regen and living ability. It pops almost ALL projectiles (Avoiding Annies stun will just give the stun back to her, as if she never used it).

An example copied from Vladimir's wikipedia page:
Vladimir is still affected by damage over time effects (like Ignite and Fiddlesticks's Drain) while going into Sanguine Pool.
While using Sanguine Pool, Vladimir cannot use items, summoner spells or his other Abilities. (Basically, if you want to get a good escape, activate Ghost THEN Sanguine Pool)
When in Sanguine Pool, Vladimir is still affected by non-targeted spells such as Event Horizon and Petrifying Gaze.
Vladimir cannot use Sanguine Pool to pass through walls created by abilities such as Crystallize, Cataclysm, or Pillar of Filth.

Plus, a thing never mentioned: It gives you a bonus of about 20% movement speed (like Ghost) for the first 0.5 seconds when activating it.

Tides of Blood
"Vladimir unleashes a torrent of blood dealing magic damage to all nearby enemies.
Each cast gives him an Empowered stack which increases his healing and regeneration by 8% per stack for 10 seconds. This stacks up to four times. Additionally, his next Tides of Blood deals 25% more damage and costs 50% more health per stack.
Cooldown: 4.5 seconds
Radius of AoE: 620
Cost: 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 health
Magic Damage: 60 / 90 / 120 / 150 / 180 (+0.45 per ability power)"
Vladimir's first AoE and epic-farm ability, never use this to harras unless you are sure to hit. Always try to keep it at 4 stacks mid to late game (not early, it will just cost too much)

Tides of Blood will do about 600 damage per thingy flying to your enemy if he doesn't has much magic resist and you have about 300+ AP. (Extremely easy farmability). The cost will be 300, but It's worth it when you do about 600 damage each 4.5 seconds. (With my build, it will do about 700 or so)

Hemoplague
"Vladimir infects all enemies in the target area with a virulent plague which increases the damage they take from all sources by 14% for 5 seconds. After these 5 seconds, infected enemies take magic damage.
Cost: 15% of current health
Range to center of AoE: 700
Radius of AoE: 350
Cooldown: 150 / 135 / 120 seconds
Magic Damage: 150 / 250 / 350 (+0.7 per ability power)"

Okay, so this is your second AoE, dealing massive AoE damage when maxed. Plus, you have 5 seconds before it detonates to deal 14% more damage (including Ignite, since It's ALL sources. Looking over the fact Ignite is true damage, meaning you can't reduce it's damage, feel free to just do it and watch them **** bricks.)

Introduction

Dear Summoners,

Lately there has been a lot of rumors going around that Vladimir is really underpowered, overpowered or simply underrated. I am here to show it in a different angle, thus giving people my point of view over him, showing that he is pretty balanced after a couple of nerfs and buffs done to him.

Vladimir used to be pretty overpowered, due to the healing with Q which resulted in a great laning and last-hitting skill (instant damage, projectiled heal) and his crazy AoE Damage with his E and R.

I'd like you to overview this guide as it is my first guide, and give you tips. Looking over the fact I bought Vladimir one day ago, I still feel that I've done enough research and investigation into making my own, yet simple guide about him.

Lastly, this guide is updated to match with Vladimir's new nerfs (different synergizes, damage, etc...)

I hope you will find this guide helpful or useful in any kind of way,

- Zeppyr.

Why Those Runes?

Why do I take per level? Easy answer - From level 5/6 (12 for the Quints) these benefit more than flats, and we all know you will reach those levels.
I take HP/level to get more AP late-game, and cooldown reduction so you can spam Q and E faster. More magic penetration late-game, just like any other mage, and more HP/level with Quints.

If you want to RULE early-game but be worse late-game, change the per levels to flats.

Next is a nice Rabadon's Deathcap.
Okay, this was chosen for obvious reasons:
140 AP = 252 HP
Passive: 30% More AP? That's awesome, and synergize's with your passive. Since you have Ardor, it'll be 34% instead!

If the teams are balanced, the next item is yours. Pick whatever you want.

*If the game didn't end and you have all items, you can easily sell your Doran's Shield for any item you'd like to buy.

If you get Zhonya's Hourglass as a last item, these are your stats:Q Damage: 230 (+375) magic damage and healing himself for 55 (+375)W Damage: Vladmir deals 300 (+319.5615 [15% of bonus Health]) magic damage over the duration and heals himself for 12.5% of that amount.E Damage: Vladimir unleashes a torrent of blood, dealing 180 (+281.25) magic damage to nearby enemies.

Clairvoyance is surprisingly nice, but leave that to the pros (supports)

*The rest of the summoner spells do not show here because they are not needed.

Pros / Cons

+ Strong bursts of damage
+ Great AoE
+ Easy nuker
+ Extremely helpful in teamfights, using his Tides of Blood and ultimate (Hemoplague, 14% more damage on all enemies caught in the AoE for five seconds, then BOOM explosion)
+ Farming just got easy
+ Excellent durability (I had 4k health in a 30 minutes game)

- Focused down easily
- Despite the durability is prone to ganking, can't handle much situations
- Most champions can take him down if playing uncorrectly
- If he's getting disabled a few times, he can easily die if still pursuing him.
- Cooldown problems on Sanguine Pool

Creeping / Jungling

Okay, so about this.. Unless you sure you can do it; then you can try. Otherwise, don't.
Vladimir has bad ganking abilities and no 'elements of surprise' like Teemo or Warwick's Infinite Duress. Despite his Transfusion, he isn't capable of great jungling. There's few mages that jungle, one of them being Fiddlesticks. I haven't seen more, although.

Team Work

Coordinate with your teammates when to ulti and who to slow with your Sanguine Pool. Remember you get a 20% more movespeed for half a second when activating Sanguine Pool, so you can chase with it and get away with it. Also, your Sanguine Pool slow is 40% - That's a lot! Combined with someone that has Exhaust, the enemy is getting himself into sure death. Always use your ultimate on 2+ enemies, never use it on 1 unless you have to do so to survive.
(I've used it on two enemy champions; both died and I got a Double Kill)

Farming

Tides of Blood is your farming ability! It can damage all enemies around you and can wipe out creep waves when 4-stacked. If you need health, just Tranfusion a little for a sure killing blow when the creep's health is low.

Laning

Laning can be tough, especially if you're new to Vlad. I find it nice being in top or mid, but mid is usually a little frustrating if you don't play cautiously. I usually pick mid, but when I pick top I make sure to go with a partner I know/trust (can speak English) and we try to coordinate well together.

Depending on your enemy in mid, if it's Teemo, be over-cautionous. Teemo's Toxic Shot is extremely strong against Vladimir and can easily get you half down. Harras him only when he over-extends, and never go toe-to-toe with him.

Brand is a pain in the ***, he can easily kill you once you over-extend and he uses Conflagration on you. Always try to avoid his projectiles ( Sear) while under the effect of Blaze. Simply hit Sanguine Pool or move away from it if possible. Since Pyroclasm's missle speed is slow, simply Sanguine Pool when it comes to you. That should completely ruin his ultimate.

Skillshot champions and abilities ( Ezreal, Morgana's Dark Binding) are easier to play against, just make sure to keep him missing by hitting Sanguine Pool if neccesary (usually it won't be) or simply getting your minions as shields.

*There are several Morgana's that will play with Smite, not for jungling but for insta-killing a minion that interrupts her from landing her Dark Binding on you. Simply be aware of that and stand behind a couple of them, not one. You can't know how long will one will survive. If you get bound and you're low on health, Sanguine Pool out of there.

Summary

So this is it, I hope you guys will try this out and tell me what do you think. Please corret me if you think It's bad, and if you've got nothing good to say - don't say it. Please, if you critique, make sure It's not only "u sux".

I hope this guide helped you and made you learn something about Vlad; I know it did to me.

Please let me know if I should change something; it is greatly appreciated.